Wedding Bells
by Miranda le Ginger
Summary: Sometimes, being good isn't enough to ensure you get the person of your dreams. Sometimes...love just isn't enough.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: A new little pairing for me to play with. I am not as versed in Ruby/Belle like Regina/Emma, but I hope I did them justice. The inspiration for this piece came from the song "_Wedding Bells_" by The Jonas Brothers, or more specifically Nick Jonas. While I am not really a fan of the band, I really love this song and the deep meaning behind it. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do **not** own rights to OUaT, or any of its complex and amazing characters. I just enjoy digging a little deeper into their thoughts and showing my interpretations to the world.

The church bell chimes, announcing the wedding of Gold and…Belle. My heart breaks a little more with each ding of the bell, until nothing is left but an empty, cold husk. I close my eyes, warm tears splashing down my face as a testament to the love that has been forever lost to me. _Can I never win_, I think to myself. _Does everyone I love have to either die or get taken away?_

I had never expected to fall in love again, and certainly not with Storybrooke's own sweetheart, Belle. It was common knowledge that she loved Mr. Gold, though heaven only knows why. How could such a perfect girl like someone who heart is so…twisted? Back then, their mismatched love did not affect me. I did not understand the appeal, but if that was who she wanted, who was I to judge? But that was before we started getting closer…before I…felt things.

When Gold left to go search for Henry with Emma, Regina, The Charming's and Captain Hook, Belle was devastated. She had finally regained her memories and reverted back to her true form after the Lacey incident. She was awoken just to be told their was going to be an explosion that would end up killing her, only for it to be thwarted and her and every Storybrooke citizen's lives spared. But instead of savoring the triumph and the gift of life, she is thrown into a tailspin when her so called true love abandons her to go traipsing off of to find his grandson, leaving her behind to pick up the pieces? He did not even intend to come back. He just pulled the whole 'I will always find you' line that only Charming truly follows.

When they all left, I was the one there to pull Belle back up from her spiraling depression. It was **my** shoulder she cried on, in **my** bed, in **my** dingy little room. I would hold her for hours, just stroking her back softly, caressing her with soothing words and the warmth of my touch. It took weeks, but finally she started leaving her shell. I coaxed her into going to Granny's Diner; to go watch a movie at the closest theater, sharing popcorn and drinks and laughter. We started evolving over the months of his absence; an acquaintance changed to friendship, friendship turned to best friends, and BFFs switched gears into…love. I was scared at first. The last time I had loved someone without reservation and censure, I ended up turning into a giant deranged mutt and eating him. I was so terrified of Belle being ripped away like him…

Months flew by, and my love only intensified. I started really noticing her: her hair, how soft it was after a shower. Her eyes, how they would crinkle at the corners and glisten when she was delighted. Her smile, how it would light up a room with its intensity. She had caught me hook, line, and sinker. She was the dog catcher, I was the dog. There was absolutely nothing in this world that I would not do for her.

One night, on the first anniversary of the Henry Rescue Team's departure, we had decided to stay in and watch movies. She was better than before, but was unusually quiet and solemn on this particular night. I did not want her unhappy, and if I am being honest with myself, I did not like the thought of her pining over Gold. So, I brought the box of pizza over and deposited on the table, pulling out tall glasses filled to the brim with alcohol. Not the hard stuff; the fruity drinks Belle actually likes. We started drinking…and drinking. and, well, drinking. As the drinks flowed our tongues loosened, and we started talking about any and everything. Belle was absolutely blitzed, but I was made of sterner stuff. I was buzzed but still had my mental faculties about me. When I tired to reach across Belle and grab the remote, I lost my balance and slipped. My face landed on her chest, and I quickly righted myself. Face hot with embarrassment, I apologized for my mishap. But instead of getting an acceptance or a slap, I received a gift much more shocking: a pair of the softest, warmest lips known to mankind.

I was so shocked I could not move for awhile. When I finally got the courage to respond back, she had pulled away. She fell asleep on me before I could question her, and my alcohol-addled mind shut down soon afterwards and I fell asleep beside her. She did not remember the next day, and I never brought it up.

A few months later, and we were going strong. We rarely parted ways, and we never slept apart from each other. I could not even fall asleep without her in my arms, body pressed against mine and her breath syncing with my own. I had finally grown a spine, and had resolved myself into admitting my feelings for her. I invited her to Granny's Diner and set up everything all nice. I dressed up in the nicest clothes a woman on a salary like mine could afford, and awaited the moment that would change my future. Belle walked in and spotted me, a smile blazing a path from her face to mine. Our eyes locked, and I knew in my heart I could do this. I started to take a step forward…and then everything changed.

Turns out Gold decided to return, and he brought his fellow rescuers with him. Shockingly, Regina and Emma had gotten together on the trip; they were madly in love with one another. And Gold…was as in love with Belle as ever. He rushed to her side and dropped to his knees, practically begging for forgiveness and understanding. Nausea settled in the pit of my stomach. _No_…_no_, _please_…_no_… went through my head on repeat. Gold and I waited with bated breaths for her answer. Turns out evil does win sometimes. Belle ran sobbing straight into his arms, hugging and pressing into him like he was home. Home…where I was supposed to be.

Everything was forgiven. Storybrooke went from a town of hate, desperation and lies to one of forgiveness and love. The town thrived under Regina's hand, and she and Emma were the town's golden couple. Everyone got their happy ending…all except for me. Gold wasted no time in proposing , and Belle accepted his slimy hand. Hope she doesn't get cursed from all the residual evil on him.

Apparently she decided to remember our time together; she asked me to be her maid of honor. Maid…of honor? No, no no no. I would not, could not, be a part of the wedding of a couple I loathed being together. How could I plaster a smile on my face, when my heart is dying inside? I declined, and the hurt I saw in her eyes still haunts me. We haven't spoke much since then. I cannot bear talking to her and keeping my love bottled inside, knowing she will never feel the same; that she is promised to another.

Now as the bell chimes and plays its oh so merry tunes, I realize something, the moral of the story, if you will. Just because you are good does not mean squat. Lines become blurred, and justice does not always get served. Evil does not always lose, and good does not always win. This is a lesson learned the hard way, and one I won't be forgetting. After two loves lost in the tide, I wonder if it is ever meant to be. Maybe happy endings don't exist for everyone. I know from experience. The proof is in the splintering of my heart as the bells signal the union of Mr. and Mrs. Gold. May your marriage be blessed; your bed…free from sins.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I was not going to write another chapter…but you guys are so awesome and wanted a happier ending so of course I had to fulfill the requests. Yeah, I am a push-over…and I am good with that. Hopefully the feels in this chapter will make up for the angst-fest of the first.

Disclaimer: Nooo I do **not** own OUaT, or Ruby and Belle, or any of the characters portrayed in this story.

**Warning: This chapter does not contain any M-rated scenes, but there is some language (cussing) involved. Not a whole lot, but enough that you may want to not read**.

Five years…it gives you plenty of time to reflect of choices made in the past, no matter how far away or what the circumstance was. Ruby could attest to that better than anyone. It had been five long, heart-breaking years since Belle had married Gold, and the pain had not dulled a lick. The wounds were still there, just scabbed over a bit. Ruby found that the pest way to occupy her mind and not think about her broken heart was to drown herself in alcohol and choose her pick of a bedmate to keep the nightmares and loneliness at bay.

The waitress had changed over the years; she was no longer the bubbly, outgoing woman she had been. Instead, she became a bit of a recluse, only venturing out of her shell to mingle at bars. Her scotch intake had increased tenfold as well, so much so that even gum could barely hide the scent that permanently lingered on her tongue. Of course, her lovers did not mind. She had not been in a relationship these past years, opting to pull a (former) Emma Swan and engage in random one-night stands, although Ruby was far worse than Emma ever was. She would not even find out their names; it was a quick, hit-and-run experience; see your way out, thanks. She still felt empty, but at least she could feel warm for a night, even with faceless Joe or Jane.

Then one night while she was eyeing prospective clients for the night, she spotted her. The woman was a dead ringer for…the woman who shattered her soul. The stranger could almost pass for her former friend's twin. So of course, her luck being just so incredibly great, the woman had noticed the heated stares on her and sauntered over to the shell-shocked Ruby. Talk flowed for a bit, then, predictably, things moved to one the woman's room. The woman, who was named Rose, was quite charming. She was gorgeous, intelligent, funny…everything Ruby wanted...except, she wasn't. Though Rose was a great catch, she was not Belle, and never would be. That did not stop Ruby from sharing her bed. While she was on top of her, she could just imagine that it was really Belle that she was with, sharing love instead of meaningless words and sounds.

Turns out, the different shade of hair and the blue eyes instead of brown does not really matter when you are in mating mode. Ruby had actually called out Belle's name while in the throes of passion, and did not realize it until after her high was gone. Horrified, she did not even look to see Rose's reaction. But the kind woman had just smiled at her, calming her with her touch and words. Rose was okay with it, and comforted the devastated waitress as she sobbed her grief on the pale shoulder underneath her face. Though the differences were blatant, Rose's quiet affections and treatment of her reminded her painfully of the friend and potential love she still mourned years later. Ruby never did see Rose again, after that night.

Unbeknownst to Ruby, Belle was not basking in her supposedly happy ever after. She was miserable in her marriage, and longed for the days she would spend with the woman who had tried her damndest to make her happy while her love was away, succeeding where no one else had. When she had seen Gold again after all that time apart, she had just fallen back into the pattern expected of her, and that she used to want. But after the ring was firmly on her finger and Gold was added to her name, she realized what a fool she had been. Though she truly did love Gold, it was not romantic as it used to be. Time had killed her love, and transported it to another vessel. A vessel that turned out to be her saviour in a white apron, Ruby.

The friendship had meant a lot to the quiet woman, and she had grown feelings for her during the course. However, she was shy and worried about ruining the friendship if her love was unrequited. So she suffered in silence, and then hopped aboard the Past Express and fell back into the old ways. She had wanted to talk to the brunette, but the two had not spoken in a long time. When she accepted Gold's proposal and hand, the carefully cultivated partnership fell apart. Now she had wasted five years with a man she no longer loved, while her true love was single. Belle felt an excruciating pain shoot through her chest every time she heard about another of Ruby's nightly endeavors. Really, the busty waitress did not even try to hide it, though she did not flaunt it either.

It was only a matter of time before someone special waltzed into Ruby's life, and whisked her away. This was Belle's greatest (and secret) fear. But she did not know what to do. She did not want to hurt her husband, but a world without her werewolf…it was just too dark and cold to fathom. She wanted a relationship with the woman, like Emma had found with Regina. The two former enemies had married and were expecting their third child; a little girl named Claire that would join four-year old Sophie and Henry.

_If they can find love in a hopeless place, I can too. _And she had, she was just too much of a coward to go for it back then. But a coward she would be no longer. Her mind determined and her heart strengthened by resolve, Belle grabbed her car keys, deciding to pay her wolf a visit.

Ruby was seated on the plush couch in the fairly new apartment she had moved in three years ago. In her hand was a tumbler filled with scotch; she dearly hoped it was enough alcohol to force Belle from her mind and fuzzy rainbows instead. What? She has weird dreams under the influence, okay? She took a large gulp as an image of Belle flashed through her mind. The scotch burned down her throat, and she welcomed it with open arms. The pain was far more welcome than the troubles of the heart.

As the liquor flowed down through her system, she reflected on her status. There had been many men, and women too, who had wanted more than just a tumble in the hay with her. She was not blind; she knew she was a beautiful woman. But every time she tried to let her wall fall down and let someone in…she just couldn't. Her feelings for Belle greatly surpassed any she could ever feel for another. But no longer. _I have felt this way for too long. Belle made her choice; it is time to make mine. _A ring at the door broke the dark-haired woman from her reverie. Sighing, she stood up and ambled to the door, scotch firmly in hand.

She took a sip, before turning the knob and letting the door open…quickly wishing she had not opened the door at all. Before the waitress stood the very object of her pain and contemplation. _Belle._ _Oh lord, please let me have consumed enough alcohol to deal with her._

Belle looked at the girl who haunted her every waking thought. Ruby looked even more gorgeous than five years ago, but her eyes…they had a haunted look about them. The lines around her mouth and eyes were tight, and it was obvious she was trying to control herself. Belle looked to the glass in Ruby's hand; yep, it was scotch. _Why are you drinking so early, my love? You used to tell me you never drank during the day_….Out loud, Belle nervously cleared her throat. She unconsciously twirled her wedding ring around her finger. Unfortunately, Ruby caught the motion. Her dark eyes stared at the ring, before looking away. Belle could literally feel the woman closing off.

"Mrs. Gold, what a nice surprise to see you here, and at such a humble waitress's home, too." This side of Ruby was not something Belle was used to. She felt like she was on an uneven path; one wrong move, and she would fall. "Just Belle will suffice, Ruby. We are…friends, right?" Ruby tried her damndest not to scoff, but a disbelieving sound still came out. "Yes, friends. Because we have said more than a couple of awkward sentences these last few years. So then, Belle, what did you come here for?"

"I-I have been thinking about you…a lot lately, in fact…and I just wanted to-to see you. I really miss our friendship, and I do not know what I did wrong to make you act like this to me." Ruby raised an eyebrow. "You miss me? Really now? You have had five fucking years to try to contact me, and what exactly did you do, hmm? Nothing. You were too busy playing it up with your demented hubby and enjoying all that his money had to offer. True Love, and all that shit, am I right?" Belle gaped at her. "Rubes, what is wrong with you? First I invite you to our wedding, and you decline and do not even ask about it, but you pretty much fall off the radar? And it is not just me, either. You do not talk to Emma like you used to."

"If you have not noticed, Emma is married and expecting another child. She and Regina are happy, and I do not want to jeopardize that with my problems. And your wedding? Ha! That sham of a wedding was going to be a train wreck from the start. Gold abandoned you, Belle! He left you, and I was the one that picked your broken pieces up and healed you! But at the first sight of him, you leave to go...what, spend your happily ever after with him? After all that bastard has done, to us and everyone in Storybrooke, how could you choose him? How could you pick him over m-"Ruby caught off her words, quickly swigging down the remains of her glass.

Belle filled in the blanks of the perturbed woman's sentence. "You think I chose him over you, don't you? Why did you never tell me, Rubes? If you had, I would have-" Ruby held up a hand, shaking her head. "No. You don't get to call me Rubes. And you would what, exactly? Tell me you were sorry but your love was already placed in another? Say you would leave Gold for me and we would be as happy as Emma and Regina? No, you would not. Our friendship would have ended either way; I just chose to destroy it before I got too attached."

"It looks like you did not stop it soon enough. I see the pain in your eyes, Ruby. Why can you not let me help ease it?" "Because, at the end of the day, you are married. You chose your path, and I have to live with mine. I should have known I never deserved love; this is my punishment." Belle stared confusedly at her. "Punishment for what?" Ruby laughed darkly. "For killing my boyfriend; I freaking ate him like puppy chow! He is dead, and I lost my chance at ever being truly happy." Belle strode forward, cupping her wolf's chin between her fingers, feeling how smooth the skin was underneath. "You are wrong, Ruby. You, more than anyone, deserve to find true happiness. You have done so much for others; it is time for you to get a little back."

Before Ruby could counter her words with more of her dark humor and self-hatred, Belle pressed her lips to hers. It was like heaven, her lips. The plush, inviting pink flesh moved against her own mouth, igniting a fire deep inside the women. The kiss was everything; a balm on open wounds, a heat after the chill of wind…a home when none could be found.

Ruby was in a state suspended between shock and bliss. Her mouth was on Belle's, and her arms were stationed on her prefect waist. She grasped the woman's hips; a moan tore out of Belle's mouth. Ruby shivered in pleasure at the sound, the wolf in her recognizing the sound of her mate. All the hair on her body rose, and she had to physically restrain herself from taking the librarian then and there. The kissing and groping continued for an indeterminate amount of time, before it was finally broken for some much needed oxygen. Dark eyes stared eyes full of desire and…love.

_No, no non no…. she is married for God's sake. This…this cannot be happening. She cannot love me…right? _As if reading her thoughts, a warm hand held on to her cheek. "Don't you dare close yourself off to me, Ruby. Not again. I love you, my wolf. Do not think that I don't. I was a coward those years ago, and I should have fought for you. I was a damn fool, and I have regretted it every day since. But, no longer will I live a lie and sit and wait for you to find another. You are mine, and I am yours…if you will still have me?" Belle was scared out of her mind; would Ruby accept the long-awaited love, or dismiss her like she herself had done to Ruby years ago?

Tears filled in those beautiful dark eyes she loved so much, spilling over and rolling down pale cheeks. "I-I-you love me? I have yearned to hear those words from you but did not think I ever would…I believed my love would always be unrequited." Belle pecked her lips gently. "No, sweetheart; your feelings are very much returned." "But…what about Gold?" Belle took a deep breath. "Gold and I…will be divorcing. It is not fair to keep lying to him, and denying my heart is just too painful to keep doing. You are my love..my **true** love…and I want to show the world what I have known for a long time." Smiles were exchanged, and lips sealed the promise. Nobody knew what the future could bring, and trying to see would be futile. But, although it had taken them years and heartbreak to get to this point, the two women would not have changed it for the world.


End file.
